Spanning cities, coasts, islands and idyllic countryside, these are the best places to visit in Italy right now.
No matter what they say, it is impossible to truly end Italy. How could this happen? From top to bottom, this famous country is full of iconic cities, gorgeous towns and villages, incredible beaches and everything in between. Food? Yes, you know about it. Italy is the kind of place that offers idyllic beach holidays one year and vineyard holidays in the countryside the next. To paraphrase the millennium concept, Italy is a country that does both.
It can be overwhelming, the choice is often overwhelming. Simply put, these are the best places to visit in Italy right now. Happy travels and happy holidays!
Best Places to Visit in Italy
Venice
Where to start with “The Most Serene”? Even if you’re not here for a biennale or carnival, this city buzzes with good atmosphere all year round. It has beaches, some of the best art in the world, and we don’t know if you’ve heard of the food here, but it’s really great too. Above all, Venice encourages getting lost, so avoid the touristy gondola rides and wander aimlessly through the inviting streets. Of course, with regular stops for prosecco and cicchetti.
Florence
Sure, there’s the Duomo, Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio – Florence is literally chock full of top attractions to visit – but there’s so much more to this city than just tourist magnets. For example, some parks that are rarely busy, quirky museums that will delight you, vintage shops and second-hand stores in abundance, and delicious ice cream that will make you mumble benissimo! under your breath all day. Florence is not a Renaissance theme park: it is a vibrant city with something to seduce visitors of all tastes.
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
Italy’s stunning Amalfi Coast overlooking the Bay of Naples is probably best known as the center of production of Limoncello, the sweetest digestif made from lemon zest, water, sugar and, of course, alcohol. There are many beautiful towns along this 50km stretch of coastline, but the real highlight is Sorrento. With its sun-drenched squares, breathtaking hotels and winding streets oozing old-world charm, it’s a beautiful, compact city that will make any trip a seafood-filled, Aperol-soaked dream. Sweet life? Found it, buddy.
Lake Como
Italy has its fair share of spectacular scenery, but nothing can prepare you for the moment you see Lake Como for the first time. An incredibly turquoise, bone-shaped lake surrounded by the Alps, with shores lined with luxurious villas and beautiful towns, this long-time retreat for the wealthy has to be seen to be believed. Although several of Lake Como’s famous villas are home to luxury hotels, many are open to the public, including the exquisite Villa Balbianello, made famous by Casino Royale and Star Wars. Our advice? Visit the popular towns of Bellagio and Varenna, but stay in the city of Como for a wider choice of affordable accommodation. And try the missoltino.
Trieste
Writer Ian Morris once called this port city “the capital of nowhere”. Once you are here, you will understand what she meant. Over the past 200 years, Trieste has been occupied by the Habsburgs, the French, the Italians, the Yugoslavs – and was once an independent city-state. It might be Italian again, but you wouldn’t know. The architecture is very similar to the Grand Budapest Hotel and the menu features mixed dishes such as gnocchi and goulash. Slovenia is just seven miles away, and traditional ocmiza will provide walkers with farm-fresh produce along the way. And the best part is that you will be hard-pressed to spot another tourist.
Rome
With world-famous art collections and a ton of history on virtually every corner, Rome is a rite of passage for history buffs. But while you might come here for all the ruins, it’s also worth a trip if you love cutting-edge food and drink (or just love a really good slice of pizza, to be honest). Add to this the charm of numerous green parks with beautiful panoramic terraces and a temperate climate that beckons at any time of the year, and it becomes too easy to fall in love with the Italian capital.
Naples
Charming, hodgepodge, ramshackle Naples, once a roguish and dangerous Italian city to avoid, is now undergoing a grand renaissance. Back on the world map thanks to the success of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels and Roberto Saviano’s crime saga Gomorrah, as well as the international television adaptation of both books, travelers who once avoided this gritty city are flocking in droves. And yet it still retains much of its character and old world charm. Laundries line the alleys, markets are filled with sweet-smelling local produce, and life takes place on the streets. Oh this background!
Sardinia
Sardinia offers many different holiday options. Beach bunnies will fall in love with the white sand and incredibly turquoise water around the Costa Smeralda and the island’s south coast. Nature lovers and tourists can spend days wandering around the interior, which seems to have remained unchanged for centuries. And foodies can also indulge in some of the best produce in Italy and gorge themselves on seafood. Whatever holiday you choose, there are plenty of idyllic accommodation options to make your stay truly perfect.
Bologna
Known for its sultry summers, radical left-wing politics, picturesque terracotta buildings and all that great food, Bologna may well be one of the most underrated holiday destinations in Europe. In fact, the food here will be quite interesting in itself: after all, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region is the home of mortadella, tortellini and tagliatelle al ragu. Grab an ice cream for dessert and make a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca, located just outside the ancient city walls.
Ischia
A volcanic beauty located in the Gulf of Naples, Ischia is an island that combines both. It’s big enough to justify spending your entire vacation there, but small enough that you can see it all in a week. Spend your days exploring coves, grottoes, beaches, gardens and rocky hills; spend your evenings dining at upscale restaurants in the lively areas of Forio and Ischia Porto, where boats bob on the pier and ferries unload holidaying Neapolitans. The best thing? While Ischia certainly attracts crowds in the summer, it doesn’t yet feel overcrowded, especially compared to neighboring Capri. Do yourself a favor and visit now – and rent a moped if you want to do it right.
Milan
Thanks to a rapidly expanding transport network and a raft of new buildings designed by star architects, tourism in Italy’s commercial capital has been booming in recent years. Not only is it a great place to stock up on the latest shoes, but the city has recently experienced a renaissance with cool bars, cool restaurants, cool cultural venues, and so on. This all seems quite fitting, considering that Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci was responsible for the city’s intertwining network of canals, parts of the magnificent Castello Sforzesco, and also, you know, simply making Milan historically a very artistic and creative place.
So you’re going to Tuscany. What a magnificent hilltop city it will be? From tiny village Radicondoli to the mecca of rosso wine in medieval Montepulciano, it’s an impossible choice, but someone has to do it. We’d pick Siena: it’s technically a city, but it still has small-town charm (and offers all those stunning hillside views you came here for) while offering an endless amount of things for visitors to see and see. do. See the golden Gothic cathedral, wander the labyrinthine streets lined with boutiques and galleries, try the locally produced pecorino – or, if you have a sweet tooth, treat it to a slice of panforte di siena (a type of chewy fruit cake made in the area).
Siena
